THE PIKE. 89' 



the bait hits the water it will dive down very quickly, the 

 heavy lead inside it causing this. Always keep a tight line ; 

 don't have any slack hanging loose if you can possibly help 

 it. As soon as the bait begins to dive downwards lower the 

 point of the rod until you think the bait has gone far enough, 

 and then raise the point slowly until it again comes near the 

 surface, then drop the rod again quickly so as to cause 

 the bait to again shoot downwards towards the bottom, re- 

 peating this a few times until the bait works too near the 

 weeds ; then withdraw it as well as you can, clear off what 

 stray weeds may be sticking to the hooks, and make a fresh 

 cast. If the water is very much choked up with weeds, you 

 cannot very well work a gorge bait in a small opening beyond 

 the reach of your rod ; if you can reach the place with your 

 rod point it will be all the better. I have known before now 

 a long 18-foot bamboo, stiff and strong, with a reel whipped 

 or tied to the butt end, and a few very large rings at long 

 intervals up it, to be used in a foul and awkward place with 

 considerable success, the extra length enabling the angler to 

 reach holes that he possibly could not get at with a short 

 trolling rod. But if there is a considerable clear space over 

 the weeds and just beyond the reach of the rod point, the 

 bait can be thrown to the furthest edge of the hole and 

 worked up and down a few times until it reaches the weeds 

 that are nearest the rod point, when it must be withdrawn 

 in the best manner that the circumstances of the place wUl 

 allow. It is the best plan to let a dead gorge plump down 

 quickly, being careful all the time that the line is tight, 

 and to lift it back again towards the surface more slowly. 

 The action of the water, in conjunction with the shape of 

 the bait, causes it to gyrate more in its upward journey than 

 it does during its downward plunge. I have always fancied 

 that a dead gorge bait looked more natural in the water than 

 the very best spinning bait I ever mounted, anyhow I know 

 that a dead gorge, worked as it should be among the weeds, 

 is the most deadly plan, that can be tried. When a pike 

 collars the bait, you must not get excited and strike at once, 

 or in all probability you will simply jerk it out of his mouth. 

 A dead gorge must be swallowed ; and it all depends on the 

 humour of a jack as to how long it will take to perform this 



